ECU Softball Stays Unbeaten in Pirate Classic
February 22, 2003 | Softball
In game one against Fairfield, Lacassa Hill started off the bats for the Pirates as she doubled to deep left field on the first pitch thrown her way. With Christine Sheridan at the plate, Hill stole third base and soon after, Sheridan doubled to bring Hill in for the first run of the game. The next two Pirate batters walked as East Carolina found itself in a bases loaded situation. However the last two batters struck out and grounded out to the third baseman leaving three runners on base.
It was three up and three down for the Pirates defensively in the next three innings, until the fifth when two Fairfield players reached on a error and a walk. The Pirates, however allowed no runs in the inning, maintaining their 1-0 lead.
Hill started the batting for the Pirates in the fifth, but grounded out to the third baseman. The next batter grounded out as well, to put the Pirates in a two-out no runners on situation. Sheridan stepped up to the plate and hit a home run that struck the top of the left field fence to put the Pirates up by two. Kate Manuse was the next batter at the plate and she hit a dinger deep over the center field fence, and the Pirates found themselves with a 3-0 advantage. Krista Jessup ended the inning for the Pirates with a fly out to left field.
Fairfield's two runs of the game came in the sixth inning as the Stags tried to close in on the Pirate lead. Ellen Sarosy was the lead off batter for Fairfield, and reached first base on an error by the Pirate second baseman. The next batter advanced Sarosy on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs and a runner on second, Brie Zimmerman doubled to left field to give Fairfield its first score of the day. With Zimmerman on second, Laura Sandanato stepped up to the plate and hit a single to center field. Zimmerman rounded the bases for a score, and the center fielder threw the ball in to the short stop, who tagged out Sandanato and ended the inning.
Neither the Pirates nor Fairfield found any runs in the seventh, and East Carolina went away with the 3-2 win. Brently Bridgeforth earned her third win for the Pirates, improving to 3-1 on the season. She struck out six batter and allowed four hits and two runs in seven innings pitched. Hill an Sheridan both ended the game with two hits for the Pirates.
The weather looked ominous prior to the start of game two, but the rain held off, and East Carolina played out seven innings for a win. Hill again started off the batting in the first inning, running out a base hit to the short stop. She stole second and the bases were loaded just moments later when Sheridan and Manuse both walked. Stacey Smith batted in the first run of the game with a base hit to third. Jessup was next at the plate, reaching the bag on a fielder's choice that allowed Sheridan to score. With the bases loaded, Brandi Benedict was hit by a pitch, allowing the third Pirate run of the inning to come across home plate. Chrystal Carter ended the inning for the Pirates when she struck out swinging, and ECU carried the 3-0 lead with them when they took the field.
With two outs in the second , Brooke May singled to center field for Delaware, but the next batter grounded out to the pitcher, and the Pirates maintained their lead.
It was in the third that ECU scored its next four runs of the game. This time, Manuse started things off with a single to left field. Smith advanced her on a sacrifice bunt to the first baseman, and with a runner on second, Jessup walked to leave two runners on base for Mandi Nichols. Nichols doubled to right field, bringing in both Manuse and Jessup, and advanced to third just moments later on a wild pitch. With a runner on third, Brandi Benedict came up to the late and took the four ball count for a walk down the first base line, after which, the Delaware team changed pitchers, bringing in Jenn Joseph to replace Becky Rogers. Joseph walked the next batter, which brought Hill up to the plate once again. Hill singled to left, driving in both Nichols and Benedict, and East Carolina was up 7-0.
East Carolina found itself in a scoring position twice more, leaving two runners on base on two separate occasions, but would not be able to advance a runner safely across home for the remainder of the game. Delaware went scoreless in the outing, marking the second time this season that the Pirates have shut out an opponent.
Brittany Boyd pitched for the Pirates, earning her second win of the season. She allowed only two hits and struck out three batters. Hill was the only ECU batter to have more than one hit in the game. She went 2-for-4 at the plate.
East Carolina will continue play in the Pirate Classic tomorrow, February 23, at either noon or 2:00 p.m. The time and field will be determined tomorrow morning after the continuation of the Fairfield-Canisius game, which was called in the third inning because of rain. That game will be continued tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. at the ECU Softball Field.
2003 Pirate Classic Scoreboard
Saturday, Feb. 22
St. John's 2, Delaware 1
Fordham 4, St. John's 1
ECU 7, Delaware 0
Campbell 7, Fordham 1 - called in the sixth inning
ECU 3, Fairfield 2
Towson 7, Campbell 6
Canisius 1, Towson 0
Canisius 3, Fairfield 0, suspended in 3rd, will be continued tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.
